Stay close to St Ives harbour and all the town’s holiday hot spots are on your doorstep. A soft, sandy beach is revealed here as the tide ebbs, while the wharf and characterful cobbled streets close by are lined with welcoming shops, pubs, cafes and galleries, including the iconic Tate St Ives. Today much of the harbour’s trade involves fishing and excursion boat trips; if you’d prefer to explore by road then the historic mining town of St Just is 15 miles away and another 6 miles on, Land’s End is a must-see too.
Hidden in plain sight just off pretty Street-an-Pol in central St Ives, this cheerful and quirky holiday home fuses clever architectural flourishes with a hint of Mediterranean-style living. Enter through the courtyard into a hallway and on into a colourful open plan kitchen, lounge and dining room, each area well-equipped and beautifully furnished in chic, contemporary style. Huge overhead windows and bi-fold doors opening onto the courtyard garden make this a light, bright and airy living space, while close by there’s a ground floor shower room and a sanctuary-like double-bedded master bedroom. An open tread, spiral staircase leads from the lounge area to the first floor, where there are two further bedrooms – one with a double bed, the other with full-size twin beds and each with a TV – plus, for ultimate convenience, a second shower room.
The pretty courtyard garden here has comfortable outdoor seating and dining furniture, and there’s a garden shed in which guests will find a selection of beach equipment to borrow. With white surrounding walls, low-maintenance planting and Med-style paving, the courtyard is a perfect spot for al fresco meals and catch-ups.